British Adult Content Site Visits Declines Following Age Checks, But Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, States Watchdog

Visitor numbers to adult content websites in the United Kingdom has seen a notable drop since the introduction of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the nation's communications regulator. Simultaneously, the use of specialist software designed to bypass these barriers has risen.

Sharp Drop in Visitor Numbers Following Law Implementation

The enforcement of age verification on 25 July caused an prompt reduction in traffic to leading online adult platforms, such as the top site in the UK. Figures shows that user traffic to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.

In total, visitor numbers to the ten most-visited adult services in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than before the late July implementation date. Subsequent data suggests this downward trend in viewing persisted beyond August.

Sharp Increase in VPN Usage to Bypass Checks

In response to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can get around location-based blocks by routing connections via another nation—increased dramatically following 25 July.

User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 people prior to the verification began. Subsequently, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since steadily declined, with latest numbers at around 900,000. It added that the level of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services.

Teenagers Taking Action to Harmful Online Content

Elsewhere, the regulator's annual study revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing distressing content online. Actions included flagging the material to the platform to muting the person who posted it.

This research was carried out before new rules came into force that compel social media companies to stop children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a platform timeline, suggesting that algorithms were serving inappropriate material.

Government Launch Examination of Pornography Legislation

In a related development, the ministers stated it would review the legislation governing pornography to consider whether it is effective in the modern digital age.

“The examination will investigate the effectiveness of the current law in regarding criminalising, for example, damaging portrayals of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” stated a government official.

Advocates Call For Tighter Digital Controls

Campaigners for tighter control of online pornography have urged the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote abuse by casting youthful performers dressed as children.

Suggested changes to government bills seek to:

• Prohibit pornography where adults are impersonating children, often recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
• Extend the offence of making an indecent image of a child to cover material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
• Apply stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which research indicates is heavily recommended by site systems.
• Add further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess tools designed to create private images without permission.
• Establish a new, separate oversight agency to perform spot checks on adult platforms and respond to reports of illegal content.

The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.